I’m Chana Studley, and I invite you to join me for this powerful summit as we explore the myth of the "chemical imbalance,” the hidden harms of psychiatric drugs, and, most importantly, the extraordinary innate resilience that lives within us all.
Since publishing my fourth book, Beyond Diagnosis, I’ve been humbled and inspired by the outpouring of messages from people sharing how much it has helped them and how it has given them hope.
The data behind the book has been developed into a research paper and has just been accepted for publication, and the book itself is being used as course material in several universities.
To share this message of hope and resilience even more widely, I have created the Beyond Diagnosis Mental Health Summit.
In this series, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with some of the leading voices in critical psychiatry, research, courageous survivors who are now thriving, and a trusted colleague and friend about the groundbreaking work we’re doing to help people move from distress and despair back to their innate health.
Every conversation highlights the same profound truth: we all have an innate capacity for wellbeing, no matter what we’ve been through or what label we’ve been given.
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Each day, you’ll get free access to a powerful 30-40 minute interview with one of our incredible speakers.
Each interview will be available for 24 hours, and then the next one will be released.
Want to keep all the interviews forever? You can own the full series for just $35
And here’s the best part—if you share this summit with a friend, you’ll get the whole series for only $9!
Meet the Speakers
Day One
Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring is an American board-certified psychiatrist and one of the world’s leading authorities on psychiatric drug side effects and withdrawal. As CEO and Medical Director of TaperClinic, he works hands-on with patients navigating complex withdrawal syndromes.
In our conversation, Dr. Witt-Doerring challenges the myth that psychiatric “disorders” are the same as physical illnesses. Together, we explore the many ways psychiatry has fallen short; from who decides which drug effect is a side effect, to the troubling ways these drugs have been marketed to the vulnerable and ill-informed.
Day Two
Robert Whitaker is an award-winning American journalist and the author of five books, three of which examine the history and practice of modern psychiatry. In 1998, as part of a reporting team at the Boston Globe, he was a finalist for the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for a groundbreaking series exposing ethical violations in psychiatric research, where unsuspecting patients were given drugs designed to worsen their psychosis.
He is also the founder and publisher of Mad in America, a leading webzine that critically examines the failures and consequences of today’s psychiatric system.
In our interview, he unpacks the troubling history of psychiatry, the forces that shaped its modern practices, and what the evidence really shows about long-term outcomes on psychiatric drugs.
Day Three
Anders Sørensen, PhD, is a Danish clinical psychologist, researcher, and author recognized as a leading expert in psychiatric drug withdrawal. He specializes in helping people taper safely through gradual, hyperbolic dose reductions.
In our first conversation. We explore what makes withdrawal successful, the dangers of rushing the process, and the hopeful alternatives available beyond medication. His skillful way of making the science understandable is inspiring for anyone about to try this courageous journey back to health.
Part 2 is an amazing bonus! Anders and I talk about why tapering from psychiatric medications must be slow, precise, and carefully managed. He explains the numbers, how hyperbolic tapering works and how support creates the best success.
Day Four
Katinka Blackford Newman is a London-based journalist and BBC-trained documentary filmmaker for HBO and the Discovery Channel. Her deep interest in drug safety began after she experienced a severe adverse reaction to an antidepressant in 2012, which led to hospitalization, polypharmacy, and ultimately a full recovery once the drugs were withdrawn.
In our interview, Katinka shares the harrowing journey, explains how psychiatric drugs can trigger extreme reactions, including psychosis and suicidal impulses, and offers a vivid, firsthand perspective on safer alternatives and the path back to innate health.
Day Five
Dr. Joanna Moncrieff is a British psychiatrist, researcher, and Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London. As a founding member of the Critical Psychiatry Network, she is one of the leading voices challenging mainstream views of psychiatric drugs and diagnoses. Her books have become cornerstone texts in the critical psychiatry movement.
In our conversation, Dr. Moncrieff examines the “drug model” of psychiatry versus the traditional “disease model,” revealing what psychiatric medications are really doing and what they’re not. We also explore whether drug names mislead people into believing they are cures, and take a closer look at conditions such as ADHD, questioning the evidence behind the idea that it’s a fixed biological disorder.
Day Six
Dr. Aaron Turner received the first-ever first-class degree in Anthropology at Swansea University and went on to work at Brunel as a faculty member and a researcher at The Centre for Health Sickness and Disablement, where he got his PhD.
Interested in how a deeper understanding of humanity could enable positive change or at least more mental freedom that might allow new ways of thinking or behaving and break old patterns, he set up the One Thought Institute to train practitioners.
In our conversation, we take a deep dive into a new paradigm in psychology that highlights the innate health that everyone has, despite mental health labels and personal histories. We share examples of real recovery and hope for a bright future.
Day Seven
I first met Chevy Rothenberg when she was discharged from the psychiatric hospital with ten diagnoses and carrying a long list of medications. Her past was heavy: suicide attempts, self-harm, anorexia, PTSD, dyslexia, alcoholism, and living on the streets, leaving little hope for her future.
But as we worked together, I witnessed something extraordinary. Beneath the labels and the struggles, Chevy’s resilience and innate health began to shine. With guidance, she rediscovered her love for life, went on to university, earned her Master’s degree, and is now living her best life.
This is her remarkable story.
Bonus Day!
My name is Chana Studley, author, coach, and international speaker, and I’ll be your host for this transformative Mental Health Summit.
My mission is simple: to show you that there are real answers to mental health challenges beyond medication.
We are never broken, no matter what we’ve been through or what labels we’ve been given. When we understand how our experience is created, we reconnect with the truth of our innate mental health, the source of peace, clarity, and resilience that’s always within us. This is freedom.
Plus bonus session on Detoxing with Dr Anders Sørensen!
"Beyond Diagnosis" is more than just a book; it's a movement . . . .
Natasha Swerdloff